1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a service delivery system, which provides various services such as repair services and pick-up services (meeting and farewell services) by moving to a specified predetermined position (that is, a delivery destination), in addition to delivery of goods to the delivery destination. More specifically, the present invention relates to a technique for route guidance at the time of moving to the delivery destination.
Furthermore, the present invention relates to a technique for transmitting order information to a shop side.
2. Description of Related Art
Heretofore, there is known a car navigation system such as disclosed for example in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. Hei 10-221104, which reads a bar code which has been prepared with the contents of a delivery slip attached to a package as data, to obtain delivery information such as the address, name and telephone number for the delivery destination, and also receives a positioning signal such as a GPS (Global Position System) signal to detect the current position of a delivery vehicle, and generates route information for a route to the delivery destination.
In this car navigation system, when a client makes a request for delivery of a package, to a delivery center controlling pickup and delivery of packages, the delivery center prepares a bar code including the delivery information described therein and attaches this to the package. Then, a delivery vehicle reads the bar code attached to the package, and displays the current position of the vehicle, the position of the delivery destination and the route information on a map display screen of a navigation apparatus.
Moreover, when there is a request made for the picking up of a package, to the delivery center, the delivery center informs the delivery vehicle of the address and name of the pickup destination by means of, for example, PHS (Personal Handy-Phone System), cellular phone, pager or the like. In this case, the driver of the delivery vehicle resets the pickup and delivery route.
In the car navigation system in the above example of the related art, complicated processing is required wherein the order information for a delivery request from a client is converted to a bar code via the delivery slip, and the content of the bar code is taken into the navigation apparatus of the delivery vehicle, causing a problem in that the delivery service cannot be performed efficiently.
Moreover, when there is a request for picking up a package, only the address and name of the pickup destination are advised from the delivery center to the delivery vehicle, and there is a possibility that it cannot be quickly judged whether or not the pickup and delivery route can be changed to pass the pickup destination of the package.
In view of the above situation, it is a first object of the present invention to provide a service delivery system, which can simplify processing processes from receiving order information from a client to preparing the route information, to thereby improve the efficiency of a service delivery business.
Furthermore, delivery is performed only for a case in which a delivery request is transmitted from a client to the delivery center. Hence, for example, in the case where the client forgets to make a delivery request, delivery is not performed, and an unprofitable situation may arise for the client.
In view of the above situation, it is a second object of the present invention to provide a service delivery system, which can simplify processing processes from receiving order information from a client to preparing the route information, to thereby improve the efficiency of a service delivery business, and which can automatically place an order in accordance with information related to the client.
In order to achieve the first object, a service delivery system of a first aspect of the present invention is a service delivery system comprising: a client side terminal for ordering delivery of various services to a delivery destination (for example, a client side terminal device 11 in a first embodiment described later), and a shop side terminal for receiving the order information and instructing delivery of the service to the delivery destination (for example, a shop side terminal device 13 in the first embodiment described later). The client side terminal comprises a client side display device (for example, a display section 21 in the first embodiment described later) for displaying map information and product information on a screen, and an order information transmission device (for example, an information transmission section 23 in the first embodiment described later) for attaching position information for the delivery destination to the order information and transmitting this combined information. The shop side terminal comprises a shop side display device (for example, a display section 41 in the first embodiment described later) for displaying map information and product information on a screen, and a route information generation device (for example, a route information generation section 42 in the first embodiment described later) for generating route information for a route to the delivery destination based on the position information.
According to the service delivery system having the above construction, since position information (for example, latitude and longitude) for the delivery destination on the map is attached to the order information transmitted from the client side terminal to the shop side terminal, the position of the delivery destination is immediately displayed on the map display screen of the shop side display device of the shop side terminal which has received this order information.
Therefore, based on the position information for the delivery destination and the current position information for the delivery vehicle, the route information can be quickly generated, thereby enabling the efficiency of the delivery business to be improved.
Moreover, a service delivery system of a second aspect of the invention comprises a navigation apparatus (for example, a navigation apparatus 14 in the first embodiment described later) furnished in a vehicle for delivering the service, and the shop side terminal comprises a route information storing device for storing the route information (for example, an information storing section 43 in the first embodiment described later), and the navigation apparatus obtains the route information stored in the route information storing device.
According to the service delivery system having the above construction, the route information generated by the route information generation device of the shop side terminal is stored in a computer readable recording medium, for example a memory such as a hard disk built in to the computer system, or a floppy disk, a magneto-optical disk, a ROM, a CD-ROM, or a portable medium such as an IC card having a flash memory therein.
The navigation apparatus in the delivery vehicle obtains the route information by connecting to the route information storing device via a communication circuit, or by directly reading the route information from a portable medium brought into the delivery vehicle.
In this case, the obtained route information is displayed on the display screen of the navigation apparatus, and hence the delivery vehicle can move to the delivery destination immediately, thereby enabling the delivery business to be quickly performed.
Moreover, a service delivery system of a third aspect of the invention comprises a navigation apparatus furnished in a vehicle for delivering a service, and the navigation apparatus comprises a communication device connected to the client side terminal so as to be able to communicate therewith (for example, a communication section 52 in the embodiment described later), and a vehicle side route information generation device for generating route information for a route to the delivery destination based on the position information received from the client side terminal via the communication device (for example, a route information generation section 54 in the first embodiment described later).
According to the service delivery system having the above construction, since a movable body such as a delivery vehicle can directly receive the order information from the client side terminal without including the shop side terminal therebetween, to generate the route information, efficiency of the delivery business can be further improved.
Furthermore, a service delivery system of a fourth aspect of the invention comprises a server apparatus for transferring the order information transmitted from the client side terminal to the shop side terminal (for example, a navigation server apparatus 12 in the first embodiment described later), and the server apparatus comprises a position information attaching device for attaching position information for the delivery destination to the order information (for example, a position information search section 32 in the first embodiment described later).
According to the service delivery system having the above construction, for example in the client side terminal, even in the case where the position information cannot be attached to the order information, the position information can be attached by the server apparatus based on the address of the delivery destination described in the order information. Hence the shop side terminal and the navigation apparatus in the delivery vehicle having received the order information can display the delivery destination immediately on the map display screen, as well as being able to generate the route information quickly.
As described above, according to the service delivery system of the first aspect of the invention, since the position information for the delivery destination on the map (for example, latitude and longitude) is attached to the order information, the position of the delivery destination is immediately displayed on the map display screen of the shop side display device of the shop side terminal. Based on the position information for the delivery destination and the current position information for the delivery vehicle, the route information can be generated quickly, thereby enabling improvement in the efficiency of the delivery business.
Also, according to the service delivery system of the second aspect of the invention, the obtained route information is displayed on the display screen of the navigation apparatus, and hence immediate movement to the delivery destination is possible, thereby enabling the delivery business to be quickly performed.
Moreover, according to the service delivery system of the third aspect of the invention, for example, the movable body such as the delivery vehicle can directly receive the order information from the client side terminal without including the shop side terminal therebetween, and generate the route information, thereby enabling the efficiency of the delivery business to be further improved.
Furthermore, according to the service delivery system of the fourth aspect of the invention, for example in the client side terminal, even in the case where the position information cannot be attached to the order information, the position information can be attached by the server apparatus based on the address of the delivery destination described in the order information. Hence the shop side terminal and the navigation apparatus in the delivery vehicle having received the order information can display the delivery destination immediately on the map display screen, as well as being able to generate the route information quickly.
In order to achieve the second object, a service delivery system of a fifth aspect of the invention is a service delivery system comprising: a client side terminal (for example, a client side terminal device 111 in a second embodiment described later) for ordering delivery of various services to a delivery destination, a shop side terminal (for example, a shop side terminal device 113 in the second embodiment described later) for receiving the order information and instructing delivery of the service to the delivery destination, and an information server (for example, an information server apparatus 131 in the second embodiment described later) connected to the client side terminal and the shop side terminal so as to be able to communicate therewith. The information server comprises an order information storing device (for example, an order information storing section 144 in the second embodiment described later) for storing a product name and a delivery date and position information for a delivery destination transmitted from the client side terminal, and an order information transmission device (for example, an order information transmission section 143 in the second embodiment described later) for transmitting the product name and the delivery date and the position information for the delivery destination to the shop side terminal, when it is the delivery date or a predetermined number of days before the delivery date. The shop side terminal comprises a display device (for example, a display section 151 in the second embodiment described later) for displaying the position of the delivery destination on a map display screen based on the position information for the delivery destination, and a route information generation device (for example, a route information generation section 153 in the second embodiment described later) for generating route information for a route to the delivery destination based on the position information for the delivery destination.
According to the service delivery system having the above construction, since position information (for example, latitude and longitude) for the delivery destination on the map is attached to the order information transmitted to the shop side terminal, the position of the delivery destination is immediately displayed on the map display screen of the shop side display device of the shop side terminal which has received this order information.
Therefore, based on the position information for the delivery destination and the current position information for the delivery vehicle, the route information can be quickly generated, thereby enabling the efficiency of the delivery business to be improved.
Moreover, since the information server comprises the order information storing device, and the order information is reliably transmitted to the shop side terminal on a predetermined date, then for example the situation can be prevented where transmission of the order information from the client side terminal is forgotten or an ordering error occurs.
Furthermore, a service delivery system of a sixth aspect of the invention is constructed such that the shop side terminal comprises a product information registration device (for example, a product information registration section 152 in the embodiment described later) for registering product information in the information server. The information server comprises a product information storing device (for example, a product information storing section 142 in the second embodiment described later) for storing the product information registered from the shop side terminal, and a product information searching device (for example, a product information search section 141 in the second embodiment described later) for searching the product information stored in the product information storing device, when it is a predetermined number of days before the delivery date, and the order information is generated based on the searched product information and transmitted to the shop side terminal.
According to the service delivery system having the above construction, since the product information can be registered from the shop side terminal, for example, product information satisfying search conditions based on preference information or the like related to the clients can be easily searched from various product information.
Moreover, a service delivery system according to a seventh aspect of the invention comprises a map server connected to at least one of the client side terminal, the shop side terminal and the information server so as to be able to communicate therewith (for example, a map information server apparatus 132 in the second embodiment described later), and the client side terminal and the shop side terminal respectively comprise a display device for displaying the map information received from the map server (for example, display sections 151 and 161 in the second embodiment described later).
According to the service delivery system having the above construction, it is not necessary to hold the map information separately in the client side terminal and the shop side terminal. Hence the construction of the system can be simplified to perform efficient processing.
Furthermore, a service delivery system according to an eighth aspect of the invention comprises a navigation apparatus furnished in a vehicle for delivering a service (for example, a navigation apparatus 114 in the second embodiment described later), and the shop side terminal comprises an information storing device (for example, an information storing section 154 in the second embodiment described later) for storing the route information or the position information, and the navigation apparatus obtains the route information or the position information stored in the information storing device.
According to the service delivery system having the above construction, the route information or the position information generated by the route information generation device of the shop side terminal is stored in a computer readable recording medium, for example, a memory such as a hard disk built in to the computer system, or a floppy disk, a magneto-optical disk, a ROM, a CD-ROM, or a portable medium such as an IC card having a flash memory therein.
The navigation apparatus in the delivery vehicle obtains the route information by connecting to the route information storing device via a communication circuit, or by directly reading the route information from a portable medium carried into the delivery vehicle.
In this case, the obtained route information is displayed on the display screen of the navigation apparatus, and hence the delivery vehicle can move to the delivery destination immediately, thereby enabling the delivery business to be quickly performed.
Moreover, a service delivery system of a ninth aspect of the invention is characterized in that the navigation apparatus comprises; a communication device connected to at least one of the client side terminal, the shop side terminal and the information server so as to be able to communicate therewith (for example, a communication section 162 in the embodiment described later), and a vehicle side route information generation device for generating route information for a route to the delivery destination based on the position information received from the information server via the communication device (for example, a route information generation section 164 in the second embodiment described later).
According to the service delivery system having the above construction, since a movable body such as a delivery vehicle can directly receive the order information from the client side terminal without including the shop side terminal therebetween, to generate the route information, efficiency of the delivery business can be further improved.
As described above, according to the service delivery system of the fifth aspect of the invention, since the position information (for example, latitude and longitude) for the delivery destination on the map is attached to the order information, the position of the delivery destination is immediately displayed on the map display screen of the shop side display device of the shop side terminal. Based on the position information for the delivery destination and the current position information for the delivery vehicle, the route information can be generated quickly, thereby enabling the efficiency of the delivery business to be improved.
Moreover, since the information server comprises the order information storing device, and the order information is reliably transmitted to the shop side terminal on a predetermined date, for example, the situation can be prevented where transmission of the order information from the client side terminal is forgotten or an ordering error occurs.
Furthermore, according to the service delivery system of the sixth aspect of the invention, since the product information can be registered from the shop side terminal, for example, product information satisfying search conditions can be easily searched from various product information.
According to the service delivery system of the seventh aspect of the invention, for example, it is not necessary to hold the map information separately in the client side terminal and the shop side terminal. Hence the construction of the system can be simplified to perform efficient processing.
Also, according to the service delivery system of the eighth aspect of the invention, the obtained route information is displayed on the display screen of the navigation apparatus. Hence the delivery vehicle can move to the delivery destination immediately, thereby enabling the delivery business to be quickly performed.
Moreover, according to the service delivery system of the ninth aspect of the invention, since a movable body such as a delivery vehicle can directly receive the order information from the client side terminal without including the shop side terminal therebetween, to generate the route information, efficiency of the delivery business can be further improved.